Please let me know if you don't receive my swap - there are a lot of non-raters out there, so once I send the items, I assume you've got them!

I'm in my mid-twenties, 2 years out of university, and working in communications.

I have a degree in English Literature, which I completed mostly because of my love of books. Reading is still one of my passions, and I spend altogether too much time on it!

I'm learning to crochet, though I'm not learning quite as fast as I'd like! I read too much, I used to paint a lot more than I now do, and I occasionally do some photography. Once crochet has been mastered to my satisfaction, I'm planning on learning embroidery!

I adore cooking, recipe-swaps, and baking. I have tea-parties and dinner parties fairly regularly, and host a large crowd for breakfast every Sunday. There will also be picnics in the local parc.

Over the summer, I party somewhat more than I should, drink somewhat more than I should (but only socially), and stay out a lot later than I should. Responsibility is overrated - if there's fun to be had, I'll spend the night out and show up at work the next morning regardless (it is a good thing that I can show up at work and be productive on very little sleep!) Suggestions of super-fun activities are always welcome - anything from house shows to all-night frisbee-throwing can be awesome, given the right crowd, and ideas for party themes or picnic fun are welcome!

Despite the summer partying, winter is cold, and the ideal afternoon involves a comfortable blanket, a pile of books, a pot of tea, and curling up with my cats. I definately need more afternoons like that! On the flip side, lately, ideal evenings have consisted of being up 'till dawn testing out sangria recipes next to a rooftop pool, so hey, anything goes!

Just in case it is ever relevant: strong scents (perfumes, scented candles, etc) trigger migraines for me. Very unpleasant!

Things I like: things to read (article, poetry, etc), art that incorporates text in some way, items that incorporate text in some way (magnets, plaques, etc – my current shower curtain has print-outs of newspapers), street art, pictures of interesting graffiti, 50s kitch (Anne Taintor is pretty great like that �?�), 20s-style fashion and art, anything coyote-themed. My favorite colors include green (all shades, but olive green is a particular favorite), blues, reds, and black. Pink fluffy things can be fun, but I prefer them with a slight twist (altered Barbies, teddy bears with two heads, etc – think bizarre and edgy, rather than pretty and tasteful).

Thinks I’m not that fond of: Cute-ified kittens/puppies/etc, Hello Kitty (and related kawaii) items, and pretty much anything related to current American pop culture (celebrity trends, reality shows, etc). I’m not really into pastels or bright yellow.

Music isn't one of my passions, but there are some artists I do enjoy. Generally, I'll listen to folksy music (Dar Williams, Tori Amos, The Wyrd Sisters), occasionally punk (Ramones, AFI) and sometimes classical (Vivaldi, Handel). Hip-hop if it's well-done with intelligent lyrics (Sage Francis, Saul Williams). I won't really listen to most Top-40s stuff, and I'm rather sensitive to mysoginist song lyrics.

Charles DeLint remains one of my favorite writers - his books make me feel happy.

Neil Gaiman makes me feel somewhat uncomfortable, yet truly fascinated.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is my favorite book, and comes highly recommended. I haven't read anything else by Michael Chabon yet, though!

I love poetry - Karen Connelly and Saul Williams are two modern favorites, and I was corrupted by Milton at a young and impressionable age.

I also read comic books/graphic novels - Brian Wood's DMZ and his Channel One series are wonderful, and I like Warren Ellis for the disturbing-yet-amusing content.

I read a lot of children's novels - Narnia, Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, and Susan Cooper's novels are old favorites, but I'll stick with The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle as my favorite childhood choice.

Lately, I've been reading a lot of sociology, feminist theory, poetry, political theory, theology, and historical novels. Whatever catches my interest gets added to the pile!

Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus because the narrative flow is absolutely brilliant. Shaun of the Dead was awesome. How To Make an American Quilt is a good comfort-movie, and I have a soft spot for ridiculous action movies and documentaries.

Buffy, Battlestar Galactica, Deadwood, Rome, Dexter, Doctor Who, Torchwood, Numb3rs, Arrested Development